A Federal High Court in Abuja has admitted as evidence a video clip in which former presidential aide Reno Omokri referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “drug lord.” The footage was submitted in the ongoing trial of activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, who faces cyberstalking charges.
Justice Mohammed Umar admitted the video on Tuesday, overruling objections from DSS counsel Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN. The court held that Sowore’s legal team complied with requirements under Section 84 of the Evidence Act for submitting electronic evidence.
Sowore is being tried on a two-count charge of cyberstalking under the Cybercrimes Act, relating to social media posts that allegedly described President Tinubu as a criminal. The prosecution claims the posts were false and could provoke public unrest.
During cross-examination of DSS operative Cyril Nosike, Sowore’s counsel, Marshal Abubakar, presented the video from a 2023 interview on ARISE News. In the clip, Omokri asserts, “Bola Tinubu is a known drug lord. I’ve got documents to back it up… I went to Chicago, went to court, and got certified true copies.”
Abubakar questioned why Omokri—who made these allegations publicly—was later cleared for an ambassadorial nomination. The DSS witness said he could not explain the reason.
The defence also highlighted that the DSS did not obtain a statement from President Tinubu regarding the impact of the posts, and Nosike admitted he did not know if the President was even aware of them.
Earlier, the court had admitted Sowore’s tweets and related screenshots as exhibits. The defence additionally submitted a flash drive containing several Omokri videos along with a certificate of compliance, which the judge accepted after dismissing another prosecution objection.
Justice Umar adjourned the case to February 4, 2026, for continuation of cross-examination.
Sowore was re-arraigned in December 2025 on amended charges focusing solely on him, after initially being charged alongside X (Twitter) and Meta (Facebook). The trial is being closely watched as a test case for freedom of expression and cyber legislation in Nigeria.
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